Venetian Festival

(Caption) Photographer Allan Donaldson shows artist Sarah Dove one of his photographs taken during the March Venice Festival.

Called into the Westerton Arms hotel in Bridge of Allan to see how this group of artists ( Maureen Mitchell, David Tapner and Allan Donaldson) were getting on - having left a friend "baby-sitting" my studio.

Met Sarah who last year organised the Font of Art group but she has now moved out of the area and is not taking part in Open Studios this year.

All positive reports coming in though maybe not as many people as last year especially in outlying areas. Clusters of artists in Alloa, Bridge of Allan and Dunblane report good number of visitors.

My first visitor yesterday was a Russian who had been a guide at the Hermitage museum before coming to Britain. She now lives in a nearby town and we have agreed to meet up again once the Open Studios is over.